Diversity-related solutions sought for Feb. 8-9 campus hackathon

Teams of Texas A&M students vying for a total of $5,000 in prize money will develop solutions for diversity-related campus issues Feb. 8-9, 2019 at Bridging Differences, the College of Architecture Diversity Council’s annual hackathon.

[Free registration] (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdrkS00HyNkrUYXL3X_TqugbLXFAynf8XlJMHSsZrriuvobfA/viewform) is open online for the event, to take place in the Langford Architecture Center. Free food and a T-shirt will be provided to hackathon participants.

At the event’s 5 p.m. outset, representatives from several campus units, including the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center, [University Libraries] (https://library.tamu.edu/) , and the [Cultural Awareness and Diversity Expansion Team] (https://stuactonline.tamu.edu/app/organization/profile/public/id/599) will issue hackathon challenges that relate to a wide variety of physical and virtual barriers on campus.

To inform their solutions, teams can mine datasets that shed light on campus barrier issues from the university’s Data and Research Services, [Transportation Services] (http://transport.tamu.edu/) and other public databases.

“Students are welcome to develop technology and coding-related solutions, but unlike other hackathons, may submit any type of solution, including design or planning proposals, curricula, or art installations. We welcome students and solutions from all disciplines,” said Carlo Chunga Pizarro, the diversity council’s undergraduate representative.

Contest mentors with experience interpreting large datasets will be available to help teams brainstorm and think creatively.

The event culminates with team presentations to a select jury that will choose winners at a 5 p.m., Feb. 9 ceremony in a range of categories: most daring, most critical, most creative, most engaging, most practical and people's choice.

Additional details will be posted on the diversity council’s Facebook page as they become available.

Richard Nira

rnira@arch.tamu.edu